Many Gauteng motorists started this year with a sense of trepidation, as the spectre of exorbitant toll fees loomed on the horizon.

Despite strong opposition from citizens, business and civic organisations, as well as a call by labour and opposition parties for a civil disobedience campaign, it seemed that government was determined to proceed with the dreaded e-tolling system.

While opposition mounted against the unfairness of the tolls and the flawed application of the user-pays principle upon which this system was supposed to be based, government seemed indifferent to the cries of cash-strapped Gauteng citizens. In August last year, Cabinet approved tariffs for motorcycles (Class A1) with e-tags of 24c/km; light vehicles (Class A2) 40c/km; medium vehicles (Class B) 100c/km; and “longer” vehicles (Class C) 200c/km.

Light vehicles without e-tags would be charged 58c/km, and heavy vehicles without e-tags would be charged R2.95/km.

Qualifying commuter taxis (Class A2) and commuter buses (Class B) would have been completely exempt from the e-toll system.

Government’s total disregard for the potentially crippling effect that these unreasonably high tariffs would have had on citizens and the province’s economy seemed out of touch at best, or, at worst, indicative that some corrupt hidden agenda was at play.

Even worse was the arrogant and patronising stance of the South African Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) – the organisation responsible for implementing and managing the e-tolling system. Sanral rejected motorists’ complaints outright, saying that it is globally accepted that motorists have to pay for using roads infrastructure – conveniently ignoring the fact that South African motorists already pay taxes and fuel levies that are earmarked for this purpose.

Towards the end of last year, transport minister Sibusiso Ndebele agreed to further public consultations, but was emphatic that the issue of whether to toll or not to toll was not up for discussion – the decision had been made and government was sticking to its guns.

That was until just over a week ago, when Gauteng residents well and truly gave government the finger. With about three weeks before implementation, only about 5% of Gauteng’s motorists had registered for e-tolling, while labour threatened mass action should e-tolling go ahead.

In the face of such strong opposition, government had no choice but to delay the implementation of the system, and has announced that further consultation is required. Whether this means that the dragon has be slain for good remains to be seen.

However, it does show that the people can prevail and that South Africans can stand up and say “enough is enough”. Well done, Gauteng. I’m proud of you.

Happy reading!

Martin Czernowalow